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Ive got the 2.0i 5door and i took it on a trip this weekend. I discovered with 3 passengers and 2 bikes on back i wasnt able to make it up the bigger hills in 5th gear going 70 mph. Would it be unwise to downshift to 4th a rev it at 4,000 rpm for a few minutes?

Ive got the 2.0i 5door and i took it on a trip this weekend. I discovered with 3 passengers and 2 bikes on back i wasnt able to make it up the bigger hills in 5th gear going 70 mph. Would it be unwise to downshift to 4th a rev it at 4,000 rpm for a few minutes?

I wouldn't let rpms scare you, as long as your not pushing it to the red line. 5th is so high up you really have no choice in situations like this

Ive got the 2.0i 5door and i took it on a trip this weekend. I discovered with 3 passengers and 2 bikes on back i wasnt able to make it up the bigger hills in 5th gear going 70 mph. Would it be unwise to downshift to 4th a rev it at 4,000 rpm for a few minutes?

It's better to downshift than to lug the engine. Any serious hill with AC on also requires downshifting.

The engine and transmission are geared to make power in the lower three gears, 4th is ok for higher speeds but 5th is overdrive and if you try driving up a big hill in 5th with your AC and cruise on (or a lot of weight like you described) you will notice that the car cannot maintain its speed in 5th gear.

It's better to downshift than to lug the engine. Any serious hill with AC on also requires downshifting.

The engine and transmission are geared to make power in the lower three gears, 4th is ok for higher speeds but 5th is overdrive and if you try driving up a big hill in 5th with your AC and cruise on (or a lot of weight like you described) you will notice that the car cannot maintain its speed in 5th gear.

I find the 5th has trouble maintaining speed in general without giving it a decent amount of gas which ruins the purpose of the better mpg

I'm not sure if this was a coincidence, but I think I felt my AC cut out when I tried to accelerate on the hill on the highway during my commute. If this is a design feature to prioritize the engine power going to the wheels instead of the AC compressor running on the serpentine belt, I'm impressed.

I'm not sure if this was a coincidence, but I think I felt my AC cut out when I tried to accelerate on the hill on the highway during my commute. If this is a design feature to prioritize the engine power going to the wheels instead of the AC compressor running on the serpentine belt, I'm impressed.

I know with my STI's that if you were at high throttle, it would disengage the compressor. Most likely the same with the '12 Impreza.

I find the 5th has trouble maintaining speed in general without giving it a decent amount of gas which ruins the purpose of the better mpg

No, 5th is purposely geared as an overdrive gear to reduce RPM at highway speeds and conserve gas.

It is just geared so high, with power output from the engine pretty maxed out, to be used when climbing significant grades (especially with the AC on).

Rolling hills are not a problem, I'm talking steeper climbs.

And if you want to pass quickly on the highway, you need to downshift to 4th.

The car needs to be actively 'driven' to maintain the right powerband, but I bought a manual because I like to control the powerband, and 5th gear is perfect for what it does.

The issue is the engine power, which is perfectly adequate for the lower gears and offers ample acceleration down low but not quite enough to cruise in 5th gear in the mountains.

Not that I care, I downshift. It is only for steep mountains so not all that much for me (but I don't live in Colorado).

I'd rather see my overall MPG average hitting 30mpg and have to downshift occasionally than have the fuel hog 2.5 liter engine that was in last years model and leave it in 5th while climbing mountain roads.

If you disagree, you can still trade it in for a WRX and get the power you desire, with the fuel economy that comes with it.

No, 5th is purposely geared as an overdrive gear to reduce RPM at highway speeds and conserve gas.

It is just geared so high, with power output from the engine pretty maxed out, to be used when climbing significant grades (especially with the AC on).

Rolling hills are not a problem, I'm talking steeper climbs.

And if you want to pass quickly on the highway, you need to downshift to 4th.

The car needs to be actively 'driven' to maintain the right powerband, but I bought a manual because I like to control the powerband, and 5th gear is perfect for what it does.

The issue is the engine power, which is perfectly adequate for the lower gears and offers ample acceleration down low but not quite enough to cruise in 5th gear in the mountains.

Not that I care, I downshift. It is only for steep mountains so not all that much for me (but I don't live in Colorado).

I'd rather see my overall MPG average hitting 30mpg and have to downshift occasionally than have the fuel hog 2.5 liter engine that was in last years model and leave it in 5th while climbing mountain roads.

If you disagree, you can still trade it in for a WRX and get the power you desire, with the fuel economy that comes with it.

Yeah, all very true. I wish I got a wrx but it just wasn't affordable. I mostly drive short distances city so mpg wasn't really a factor in picking the impreza. This is my first car that even has overdrive so I guess I'm expecting to much. I actually wanted an 11 impreza but believe it or not they are very hard to find. 3 dealers didn't have one and couldn't get one from anywhere. Now that I have the 12 though and after driving my friends 11 I'm glad I got the 12.

I'm not sure if this was a coincidence, but I think I felt my AC cut out when I tried to accelerate on the hill on the highway during my commute. If this is a design feature to prioritize the engine power going to the wheels instead of the AC compressor running on the serpentine belt, I'm impressed.

From the manual:

"To improve acceleration and gas mileage, the air conditioner compressor is designed to temporarily shut off during air conditioner operation whenever the accelerator is fully depressed such as during rapid acceleration or when driving on a steep upgrade."

"To improve acceleration and gas mileage, the air conditioner compressor is designed to temporarily shut off during air conditioner operation whenever the accelerator is fully depressed such as during rapid acceleration or when driving on a steep upgrade."

One of my daughters has recently started to learn to drive. She is very short/petite. I've noticed that when she is in the driver's seat of my 2012 Impreza, she has to bring the seat almost all of the way up in order to reach the pedals properly. In this position, her knees/legs are almost touching the bottom panel of the dash, the area where I believe the new knee airbag is located.

Is there a danger that, being so close to the knee airbag, should the airbag deploy, my daughter's knees/legs might be damaged from the "explosion" of the airbag coming out?

Come to think of it, she's also by necessity rather close up to the steering wheel as well, so perhaps in danage of that airbag too?

Sorry if this issue has already been addressed somewhere else and I msissed it!

No, 5th is purposely geared as an overdrive gear to reduce RPM at highway speeds and conserve gas.

It is just geared so high, with power output from the engine pretty maxed out, to be used when climbing significant grades (especially with the AC on).

Rolling hills are not a problem, I'm talking steeper climbs.

And if you want to pass quickly on the highway, you need to downshift to 4th.

The car needs to be actively 'driven' to maintain the right powerband, but I bought a manual because I like to control the powerband, and 5th gear is perfect for what it does.

The issue is the engine power, which is perfectly adequate for the lower gears and offers ample acceleration down low but not quite enough to cruise in 5th gear in the mountains.

Not that I care, I downshift. It is only for steep mountains so not all that much for me (but I don't live in Colorado).

I'd rather see my overall MPG average hitting 30mpg and have to downshift occasionally than have the fuel hog 2.5 liter engine that was in last years model and leave it in 5th while climbing mountain roads.

If you disagree, you can still trade it in for a WRX and get the power you desire, with the fuel economy that comes with it.

exactly. I noticed i could cruise around town at 30mph in 2nd and still achieve 32mpg and still have plenty of power if i needed to speed up quickly, or i could shift to 3rd....